Dragon Ruins II – An Autobattler for Lazy Gamers

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• Developer: Graverobber Foundation
• Publisher: Graverobber Foundation
• Platforms: PC
• Genre: Autobattler / RPG
• Release Date: January 16, 2025
• Initial Price: 9.75€
• Reviewed Version: PC

Graverobber Foundation has once again proven they are masters at creating unique and atmospheric games. With titles like Dungeon Ruins, Demon Lord Reincarnation, and Ringlorn Saga, this developer has earned a reputation for crafting dark, immersive worlds with a distinctive visual style. The same quality is evident in Dragon Ruins II. As a sequel to the already impressive Dragon Ruins, this title builds upon everything that worked in the first installment, providing an even richer experience. If you enjoy autobattlers with an emphasis on exploration, strategy, and team upgrades, this game is well worth your time.

The game is set in a dark, mystical world once ruled by dragons. According to legend, a single act of stealing fire from a dragon led to their downfall, leaving behind myths of their immense treasures and possible return. You take on the role of the leader of a group of adventurers, determined to grow stronger, find lost treasures, and confront the dangers left behind by the ancient dragons.

The story is simple yet effective, with a dash of mystery and adventure that keeps you hooked. One of the game’s greatest assets is its atmosphere. Every location, whether it’s the dungeons, abandoned mansions, or dark catacombs, feels eerie and completely immersive, drawing you deeper into this fascinating world.

The Autobattler You Didn’t Know You Needed

Dragon Ruins II is an autobattler, meaning you don’t directly control characters during fights. Instead, your focus is on exploring the world, managing your squad, and preparing for battles. You assemble a team of four adventurers, each with their unique skills and strengths, and guide them through missions to make them stronger. The gameplay is exceptionally fun—you explore various locations, complete quests, find treasure, and upgrade your team to defeat more powerful enemies.

I particularly like the wide range of available characters, from archers and swordsmen to ninjas, all of whom look phenomenal thanks to the detailed illustration and exceptional attention to visuals. There are plenty of options for experimentation, which adds variety to the game. Furthermore, you are not limited to your initial choices; you can always recruit new members, meaning the game always feels fresh and dynamic. Each character can be positioned in the front or back row, which adds a strategic dimension and makes team management compact and meaningful.

One of the best features of the game is the ability to replay completed missions. They are sorted by difficulty, ranging from beginner to legendary levels. Each mission contains unique enemies and final bosses that you must defeat. The rewards you earn through battles and completed missions are both good and useful. During your adventures, you can find consumable items, such as health potions or teleportation scrolls, either by opening chests or purchasing them in the shop.

The Game Has Its Flaws

However, there is one minor drawback: you can’t truly influence the combat or have a significant impact on its outcome. Also, there’s no clear visualization explaining why your character missed or hit an enemy, nor how strong an enemy is (aside from a shimmering effect on its portrait). Despite this, Dungeon Ruins II manages to remain surprisingly fun. It’s not boring, though it can occasionally be frustrating, which is a common trait of games in this genre.

It can sometimes feel tedious, primarily because of the need to constantly return to heal and rest, and then travel back to the same spot, unless you have a teleportation scroll. The sheer amount of walking and repeating these actions can become a bit monotonous, although it doesn’t significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience.

Another issue with the game is that it can feel a bit monotonous at times. Most rooms are almost empty, with just a few scattered chests, leaving little content to explore. This lack of content is somewhat disappointing. I expected to find coins, potions, or other items scattered throughout the game world, but the game falls short in this area. The reward system also feels lackluster. While you earn a decent amount of gold, most fights in the same area become repetitive, and only the final boss fight injects some excitement.

One aspect I particularly liked is the equipment upgrade system. It allows you to gradually strengthen your characters by spending the gold earned from quests and adventures. However, as you progress, upgrades become increasingly expensive, meaning you’ll have to put in more effort to get stronger and face tougher challenges. Instead of upgrading a predetermined set of gear for each squad member, you find and upgrade individual items.

Final Thoughts

On the other hand, the user interface is visually clear and easy to use. The game doesn’t overwhelm you with excessive amounts of information, and a tutorial isn’t necessary; it’s easy to navigate and understand the mechanics. Every five levels, your characters can choose a new passive skill depending on their class. Some skills overlap between classes, which I personally didn’t like. I would have preferred upgrading characters in a way that is unique to their class, though some players might find this approach refreshingly different from what they are used to in other games.

In conclusion, it’s important to know what to expect before diving into this game. Don’t anticipate complex mechanics or deep, engaging gameplay that gives you complete control; this title follows the same approach as other games from the same development studio. It’s designed to be played when you are bored, tired, or simply want a relaxing experience. The gameplay is minimalistic; you mostly navigate the world, upgrade your characters, and occasionally use a special combo attack that allows the entire party to strike the enemy simultaneously. Dungeon Ruins II can be fun and has its moments, but it lacks content, so keep that in mind before you start playing.

Review copy provided by the publisher